Draper and Berrettini Set for Clash at Madrid Masters

MADRID, Spain — The third round of the Mutua Madrid Open will conclude on Monday with a marquee matchup between Indian Wells champion Jack Draper and Italy’s Matteo Berrettini.

This will be the third meeting between the two players, with Draper winning their last two encounters: 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in the Stuttgart final last year and 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in Doha earlier this season. Draper, currently ranked sixth in the world, aims to maintain his winning streak against Berrettini.

Berrettini, seeded 30th, is looking to reverse his fortunes after narrow defeats in their previous matchups. He is hopeful that the slower clay surface will play to his advantages. “The conditions here are ideal for my game,” Berrettini said. “With the slower bounce, I get more time to set up my shots.”

In their latest matches, Draper defeated Tallon Griekspoor 6-3, 6-4, while Berrettini overcame Marcos Giron with a score of 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-1. Despite his strong performance, some analysts predict a potential upset by Berrettini due to the favorable conditions.

Joining them in the third round will be Stefanos Tsitsipas and Lorenzo Musetti. Tsitsipas has won five of their six previous meetings, although Musetti recently beat him in Monte-Carlo. “I’m not worried about our history,” said Tsitsipas. “It’s a new match and anything can happen.”

As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Draper and Berrettini’s match, which is expected to draw a significant crowd at the Caja Mágica.